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The best kind of liquor is the kind you bring along.

Saturday Apr 02, 2005.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Food Feed

Who doesn't love a glass of wine with dinner. Better still, who doesn't love trading that $9 glass for a $9 bottle. Bring-your-own-bottle restaurants are certainly ones to keep a shortlist of. While it's a pretty safe bet that almost any Thai eatery you visit will have a corkscrew on hand, only a modest percentage of Chicago's restaurants allow patrons to haul in bottles of their own. Here's a few to add to your roster, with a word to the wise: Etiquette calls for you to bump up that tip a bit.

Banana Leaf
File under: Thai, take two
Now in its larger digs two blocks north of its former location on Southport, the newer Banana Leaf offers authentic Thai cuisine in an airy, hip atmosphere with plenty of seating. Serenely decorated in shades of green with simple brushed steel accents, the restaurant is equal parts inviting and inspiring: soothing sage on the walls, bright tree-frog green on the cushions, deep olive wooden tabletops, original paintings and funky artwork around the perimeter and lots of light.

The dishes span the traditional Thai favorites like pad thai (an excellent balance of sweet and sour), tom kha (warm and sweet with just the right hint of spice) and a myriad of tantalizing curries. Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes round out the menu, and the delicious desserts feature (surprise) bananas: try roasted banana, deliciously soft and topped with ground peanuts, cashew nuts, sweetened milk and honey. Servers are friendly, most dishes can be prepared without meat for vegetarians. Prices range from $4-$7 for appetizers and $4-$15 for entrees; higher end items include Thai beef steak, salmon steak and beef roll with asparagus. The restaurant is BYOB, and outdoor seating an a flower-trimmed back deck offers a pleasant option for summer.

Bhabi's Kitchen
File under: Devon darling
This BYOB spot qualifies among Devon's truly great, with a friendlier-than-friendly owner, a roster of breads that rival that of many bakeries (try anything with pistachios) and plenty of entree options, served up in a homestyle manner (read: Our samosa dipping sauce had plastic spoons for serving, and it certainly didn't detract from the charm).

The signature fish curry is a Bhabi's special, and the lamb cooked with bitter melon maintains its own degree of specialness as well. The eatery plays hosts to several items that purportedly grace no other Devon-area menu, such as sarsoo ka saag, a vegetarian dish of broccoli rabe cooked with herbs and spices. The chicken boti, boneless chicken breast marinated with spices and cooked in a tandoori grill, seems much less synthetic than your typical neon pink chicken: Tiny flecks of flavor pepper every available inch, and taste divine when speared alongside sauteed onions. The aforementioned bevy of bread includes several varieties of naan, as well as paratha, thin layered fried bread with fillings that range from the sweet to the meaty. To make the experience even more appetizing, the majority of entrees run $8 a pop.

Anatolian Kabob
File under: Turkish delight
Anatolian Kabob serves up traditional Turkish fare in a super low-key setting that can either be faulted for having a dingy ambience or praised for being homey. The food at this small Lincoln Square restaurant is consistently good and very reasonably priced. All entrees come with a house salad, cous cous or rice pilaf, and Turkish tea. Most entrees cost $10 or less, and there are 25 to choose from, including plenty of vegetarian options. Choose from tasty plates of guvech (Turkish stew made of lamb, eggplant, tomatoes, green pepper and garlic, served over cous cous) and Anatolian chicken doner (Turkish-style gyros). The baklava makes for a fine conclusion to your meal and only sets you back a couple of bucks.

To top it off, Anatolian Kabob is BYOB (with no corkage fee), making it an even better deal. For those lacking a cellar to choose from before heading out to dine, Fine Wine Brokers, the neighborhood wine store, is conveniently located next door (but keep in mind the wine store closes at 7:30 most nights). The service, though at times imperfect, is always friendly, and the waitresses have a preciousness to them that makes it impossible to hold any sort of grudge.

Cafe Sushi
File under: Maki and merlot
Masterfully combining the best of the traditional sushi joint with an unpretentious modern flair, it’s a powerful combination of classic and cool. Bedecked in customary blonde wood, the restaurant’s many latticed panels are backed with subtle blue lighting that casts a hip, lounge-like glow. Attentive service begins immediately, though leisurely diners won't feel pressured.

Appetizers are typical yet tasty, and a first-course of miso soup and edamame won't disappoint. Though there are a few entrees, including katsu (fried cutlets, available in chicken, pork or beef) and teriyaki, ordering nigiri and maki is the way to go. Spicy tuna and scallop rolls are delicious, and there's a wide variety of veggie options, including salad maki (pickled radish, cucumber and carrot with mixed green). It's the $5.95 Mexican maki, however, that's the stuff of legends. Bursting with yellow tail, jalapeno, cilantro and avocado, and topped with spicy mayonnaise (and not for the weak of heart), it's delicious and powerfully hot. The special maki menu includes a handful of fish-inside-and-out rolls. The rainbow maki is a steal at $7.95, and features cucumber, avocado, tempura flakes and crab on the inside, topped with your choice of tuna, salmon, shrimp or combo.

Duck Walk
File under: Thrifty Thai
The gleaming, modern look at Duck Walk belies what you'll find inside: tasty traditional Thai cuisine. The teeny-tiny storefront serves up flavorful pad Thai and other noodle dishes, mouth-watering appetizers, spicy fish and chicken entrees and, of course, bubble tea. The fried red snapper tastes lighter than you'd expect; at medium, it's hot enough to make your nostrils flare. The tom yum soup is thick, and the crisp egg rolls arrive with a delightful sweet-spicy dipping sauce that matches them nicely. Duck Walk's convenient location near the Belmont L stop makes it a fast, safe choice for a quick post-commute meal.

Tables are pushed against both walls, with seating for maybe 20-25 people. The cherry-colored wood and black detail gives Duck Walk a classier feel than your typical Thai hole-in-the-wall. The staff is friendly and efficient; despite Duck Walk's matchbox-size, patrons rarely wait for seating. While you won't experience a life-changing meal here, do expect decent-sized portions of accessible yet delicious fare at an amazingly low price. Dinner for two, including an appetizer, will be less than $20 total and you'll have some leftovers for lunch the next day.